Chemical fire-extinguishing apparatus.



PATENTED OCT. 24, 1905.

J. T. OBENGHAIN. CHEMICAL FIRE EXTINGUISHING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT.8,1903.

W] I NEE-SE S ATTORNEY.

ITEI) STATES PATENT OFFICE.

Specification of- Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 24, 1905.

Application filed September 8, 1903. Serial No. 172,329.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN T. OBENOHAIN, of Logansport, county of (lass, and State of Indiana, have invented a certain new and useful Chemical Fire-EXtinguishing Apparatus; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, ref erence being had to the accompanying drawings, in which like numerals refer to like parts.

The object of this invention is to provide certain improvements in chemical fire-extinguishing apparatus of the type that employ a solution of bicarbonate of soda and, sulfuric acid.

One new feature of the invention consists in an agitator permanently located in a tank that contains the ingredients for the purpose of stirring, and thereby dissolving the bicarbonate of soda in the water in the tank. This means is to directly move the bicarbonate of soda to effect its dissolution and is also made to accommodate itself to the uneven surface of the bottom or lower portion of the tank in which the water and the bicarbonate of soda are placed, so as to positively move and stir the particles of the soda to effect a complete as well as a rapid dissolution thereof.

Another new feature is the provision of a basket suspended in the tank below the inlet thereto for the individual acid-receptacles. In view of the great pressure exerted on the walls of the tank it is desirable that the inlet be as small as possible. Also in view of the great weight of the amount of acid for a large extinguisher and the leaden can or bottle that holds it it is very difficult to chargea machine with all the acid in one vessel. With the apparatus forming a part of this invention the acid canbe divided into a number of smaller vessels which can be separately handled and placed within the tank in a sufficient number to furnish the desired amount of acid and can be handled much more conveniently because of the lighter weight. To accomplish these two objects, a comparatively mall inlet-open ing is made in the tank and under that a receptacle is suspended that extends back for a considerable distance from the inlet, so that one bottle or vessel containing acid may be inserted and pushed back out of the way and another bottle inserted.

The full nature of my invention will be understood from the accompanying drawings and the following description and claims.

In the drawings, Figure l is a central longitudinal vertical section of a tank, showing my improvements therein. Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section thereof on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an elevation of the lefthand end of Fig. 1. Fig. at is a perspective of the cans or bottles that contain the acid. Fig. 5 is a horizontal section on the line 5 5 of Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a plan view of the basket for the acid-receptacles.

Referring now to the details of what I have shown in the drawings as one form of my invention for the purpose of illustrating the nature thereof, 10 is a cylindrical tank extending lengthwise in a horizontal position with the two ends or heads 11 and 12. The latter is provided centrally with a manhole closed by the usual means. I/Vithiu the tank a suitable outlet-pipe 13 of common type is shown leading from the bottom of the tank upward, and at the upper or outlet end thereof any means may be attached or employed for conveying the extinguishing gas and fluid to any pointdesired. In charging such a tank it is common to fill the tank nearly full of water and then introduce therein a certain amount of bicarbonate of soda. The latter immediately settles to the bottom and does not dissolve readily unless some means for stirring or agitating the same be provided. Agitators have heretofore been employed, some of which consist of means for agitating the water, and thereby part of the soda, which is not a very rapid or effective or complete means for dissolving soda. Experience has shown that it is desirable to provide some means for agitating the soda and stirring it directly, so as to effect its complete dissolution. Means for such direct agitation have been used; but

so far as I am aware they have not been so arranged or made as to reach the particles of soda. Therefore I have provided what is in a sense a flexible agitator. I mount a crank shaft or rod 15 with a bearing in one end of the tank at 16 and with the other end thereof mounted in the bearing 17, that is clamped to the pipe 13, as shown in Figs. 1 and 5, At the other end said shaft is provided with a handle 18, whereby it is partially rotated. Within the tank the crank-shaft 15 is bent down, so that its lower portion comes almost in contact with the wall of the tank. The crank portion of said shaft. therefore, is substantially equal to one-half the radius of the tank, for the bearings 16 and 17 are preferably central or in line with the axis of the tank. The construction and mounting of the crank-shaft shown is employed by me where IIO the tanks are large; but if small only the bearing 16, if elongated, will suflice, and the hearing 17 may be omitted. The lower part of the crank-shaft within the tank is encircled by a spiral spring 19, secured stationary thereon and having an internal diameter greater than the diameter of the portion of the crankshaft which it surrounds, whereby said spiral wire or spring is flexible and readily accommodates itself to the uneven internal surface of the tank, and at all times-during the operation of such stirring device the coils of the spring press rather forcibly against the tank and scrape up and agitate the particles of soda, so as to effect a complete dissolution thereof. When thus completely dissolved, the soda will remain in solution unless there has been an overcharge of soda. The crank-shaft is in use oscillated to and fro by the handle 18 until all the soda has been dissolved.

In order to charge the tank, an opening 20 is provided through a sleeve-like flange 21, that is riveted to the wall of the tank. The opening through the top of said sleeve-like flange is closed by a cap 22, having an annular recess adapted to receive and fit on the upper edge of the part 21. There is embedded in said recess a gasket 23,'that not only assists in making the closure air-tight, but prevents the cap 22 from sticking tightly to the sleeve 21. Experience has shown that the gasket will stick to both the part 21 and the part 22 and when they are separated they will become injured or torn, whereas by embedding it in the groove, as shown, it will remain permanently in the cap 22 and will thereby be preserved. The cap isheld' down in place by the top bar 24 and the bolts 25.

The means herein provided for storing the acid in the tank consists of a basket 26, mounted on a shaft 27, that at one end has a bearing in theend 11 and at the other end in the hanger 28. The shaft 27 extends outside the tank and has on it the handle 29 for the purpose of turning the basket over when it is desired to discharge the acid. A weight 30 is placed on the handle 29 to hold the basket in a vertical position, the handle and weight at such time being in the position shown in Fig. 3, where a stop-rod" 32, secured to the shaft 27, rests in engagement with the stop 33 on the end 11 of the tank. The stop 33 has a springwith a notch or recess in it to catch and hold the rod 32, so as to hold the basket in a vertical position, excepting when the crank 29 is actuated by some force. In order to discharge the contents of the basket 26, the lever 29 is thrown to the right from the position shown in Fig. 3. The basket is longer than the diameter of the opening 20, as appears in Fig. 1, and may be made long enough to receive and hold as many acid-re ceptacles 35 as desired. One of these recep tacles is shown in Fig. 4, it being made of lead with a slotted top, so that when the basket 26 is inverted the acid will run out of the receptacles. The basket shown isadapted to receive three of these receptacles, and they are held in the basket when it is inverted and at other times by the flanges 36, one on each side of the top of the basket, as shown in Fig. 6. These flanges 36 extend along one end of the basket, so as to leave the other end open and enable the acid-receptacles to be inserted singly from the top. After being inserted each one is pushed under the flanges 36, and the last acid-receptacle is held in place by the pivot-pin 37, as shown in Fig. 6. With these arrangements it is obvious that the inlet-opening 20 need only be large enough to admit a small acid-receptacle, and a number of such acid-receptacles may be stored in the tank to furnish the proper amount of acid.

A check-valve is provided (see Fig. 1-) for the purpose of relieving the air-pressure in case it becomes too great by reason of the rising temperature of the liquid contents and air, so that it will not force any of the liquid contents out through the outlet-valve. The rising temperature referred to causes an expansion of the contents. This valve will also permit air to enter the tank when there is contraction from reduction of the temperature of'the contents. This check-valve is put in place in an inverted position, so that it will be tightly closed when subjected to constant pressure from the inside and will prevent the escape at such time of the contents; but when not subjected to great internal pressure, as when the contents slowly expand or contract, the valve will permit the passage of air in either direction.

hat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1: In a chemical fire-extinguishing apparatus, a tank to receive the ingredients, an outlet-pipe extending into said tank, a crankshaped rod in said tank with the crank portion thereof approximately conforming to the inner surface of the tank, a bearing secured to said pipe for pivotally mounting the inner end of said crank-shaped rod, a bearing in the end of the tank for mounting the other end thereof, a handle secured to the outer end of the crank-shaped rod, and a spiral'spring surrounding and secured to the portion of the crank-shaped rod adjacent the inner surface of the tank, said spring being of larger diameter than said rod.

2. In a chemical fire-extinguishing appara tus, a tank to receive the ingredients, having an opening therein, an elongated basket sus pended therein below the opening, and a plurality of said acid-receptacles in said basket.

3. In a chemical fire-extinguishing apparatus, a tank to receive the ingredients with an inlet-opening thereto, means for securely closing said opening, and a basket suspended within the tank immediately below said opening the length of which is greater than the diameter of the opening, so that a small inletopening may be used.

4. In a chemical fire-extinguishing apparatus, a tank to receive the ingredients, an inlet-opening therefor, a basket suspended within the tank with a length greater than the diameter of the opening and with one end under the opening, flanges on the portion of the top of said basket that extends backfroin the inlet-opening for holding in place the acidreceptaclesin such portion of said basket, and movable means on the portion of the basket under the inlet-opening for holding in place 3 the acid-receptacle last placed in said basket.

5. In a chemical fire-extinguishing apparaherein named.

JOHN T. OBENCHAIN. Witnesses:

GRACE MURPHY, NELLIE ALLnMoNe. 

